It is impossible to overstate the damage that a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can wreak on your life. If your TBI is the result of another person or company’s negligence, you may have a case for seeking financial compensation.
At Bird, Stevens & Borgen, P.C., we are dedicated to helping the victims of personal injuries or their surviving loved ones. Our team of traumatic brain injury attorneys puts in the effort, commitment and personal care that you deserve during such a difficult time. With office locations in Rochester and Bloomington, we feel honored to have served TBI survivors throughout southern Minnesota for the past 30 years.
A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain caused by an external force, such as a blow, jolt, or penetrating wound to the head. TBIs range in severity from mild (such as a concussion) to severe (causing permanent brain damage or disability). The damage may be confined to one area of the brain or may affect multiple regions, and the full consequences are not always immediately apparent. Some symptoms appear right away, while others may emerge hours or days after the injury.
Traumatic brain injuries can happen in nearly any situation where the head or body is subjected to a sudden impact or violent movement. While some TBIs result from relatively minor accidents, others occur in catastrophic events that cause life-changing injuries. Regardless of how the injury happens, another person or company’s negligence may have played a role.
Some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
Many traumatic brain injuries occur because someone failed to exercise reasonable care, whether by driving negligently, failing to maintain safe premises, violating workplace safety standards, or creating another dangerous condition. Determining exactly how the injury occurred and who may be legally responsible is an important part of pursuing a personal injury claim.
TBIs are generally categorized by how they occur and by their severity. The most common types include:
Because TBIs vary widely in type and severity, their symptoms can range from subtle to severe. Symptoms of a mild TBI may include headache, dizziness or loss of balance, nausea, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. Moderate to severe TBIs can involve loss of consciousness, profound confusion, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, convulsions or seizures, and persistent or worsening headaches.
Beyond these immediate effects, TBI can result in long-term consequences that affect nearly every aspect of a person’s daily life, including cognitive impairment, behavioral and emotional changes, difficulty communicating, and in the most serious cases, permanent disability. It is important to seek medical attention promptly after any head injury, even if you feel relatively well, because some symptoms may not become apparent until well after the initial event.
In a TBI personal injury case, compensation is generally divided into two broad categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover the measurable financial losses caused by the injury, while non-economic damages address the broader human impact. Depending on the specific facts of your case, recoverable damages may include:
Punitive damages may also be available when clear and convincing evidence shows deliberate disregard for others’ rights or safety. An attorney can evaluate the specific facts of your situation to identify every category of compensation that may apply.
Navigating a legal claim while recovering from a traumatic brain injury is an enormous burden. An experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer can handle the legal process on your behalf so that you and your family can focus on recovery. At Bird, Stevens & Borgen, P.C., our attorneys can assist you by:
TBI cases can be complex, and the value of a claim often depends on how thoroughly the injury and its long-term consequences are documented and presented. Having skilled legal representation from the outset gives you the best opportunity to pursue the full compensation you may be entitled to under Minnesota law.
The sooner you contact a personal injury lawyer, the better – it allows us to investigate your case and gather evidence from the outset. We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury claims. That means that we only charge you a fee if we recover financial compensation for you. To schedule a completely free consultation with one of our lawyers, please call us at 612-540-4985 or email us today.
To schedule a free initial consultation with a lawyer from our firm, contact us online now. You may also call our offices in Southern Minnesota or the Twin Cities. To reach our location in Rochester, call 507-282-1503. To reach us in Bloomington, call 612-421-0526. We are always happy to answer questions about important legal matters.
